


The Holt Collective

by jadedbug



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender, vld - Fandom
Genre: I'M A SLUT FOR THE HOLT FAMILY SHHHH, M/M, Matt has some variation of a prosthetic/severely damaged leg in all of these shh, and, choo choo, she/her pronouns for pidge, the angst train is coming to the station, theres shatt in here and their will be shatt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 19:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8069794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadedbug/pseuds/jadedbug
Summary: In which Matt Holt finds his family again, and maybe a few pieces of himself.-A series of seperate oneshots detailing different ways the Holt Family could be reunited in the deep expances of space. Also there's shatt.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TBH I have no idea how many chapters there will be in this fic it all depends on how much I write/feel like writing. Many of these chapters are/will be based (loosely) off of popular headcanons circulating around Tumblr (like way too many I'm dying from angst here lmao).
> 
> Also a huge thanks to Ella (rakukajas on Tumblr) for keeping me company in Holt Family/Shatt hell and inspiring this fic!

Matt adjusted his mask slightly, and leaned closer towards the large window overlooking the hub of the ship. Galra soldiers moved about, transporting raw materials to and from ships. The purple taint of the cavernous room made his stomach twist. _How could one race make me hate a color,_ he mused.

The small data transfer-port he had connected to the galra command board faintly pulsed blue, a color it was slowly spreading to the walls (How, Matt hadn't quite figured out yet.) The room was awash in blue light, it reminded him of a home he was starting to forget. One with creaky wood steps and foot-worn floors; of shared laughter, and a man with eyes that reflected all the stars in the sky on a clear night.

It was no use reminiscing anyways, he'd never have any of that again; not with the way the universe was content to dragging him around. It hit him hard sometimes, but it was no use to dwell. A man not on his feet and working was a dead man (a lesson learned the hard way in the slave mines). _No rest for the weary, or the wicked, wherever in their I fall,_ Matt decided.

By the time the data transfer was complete all the prisoners aboard the ship would be gone; evacuated to a rebel ship for processing. From there, the lucky ones (the ones who had a home to return to) would leave, off to some far corner of the galaxy. Others would be sent to a refugee camp on some liberated planet. Those left, with injustice roiling under their skin and anger in their eyes, in their hearts would join the fight. They would share arms with rulers and heirs cheated out of their empires and merchants who were pissed over deals a few dollars short.

Matt knew it was only a matter of time before Zarkon swatted the fly that was their meager resistance. But for the time being it seemed he was distracted by a wasp. The whispers were constant. _Voltron_. What the hell was Voltron? _Who?_ From as far as he could tell it was people getting excited over bedtime stories; the kind you tell your kids so they won't be afraid of their playground bully. (He'd heard his fair share of those.) But a few children’s stories wouldn't save the universe from enslavement and death, the people who worked themselves to the bone because no one should suffer the injustices they did would.

Matt glanced dismissively around the room. The feed on his mask flickered with a warning, _Data Transfer 50%_. He'd have to haul ass soon, if he didn't start to move now. His bad knee protested as he shifted his weight. Matt remembered his heart beat in his temple, his stomach in his throat as _he_ slammed him to the ground, took out his knee. Kashi had always been a good actor, but the anger in his eyes had been so real. Because he hadn't been able to protect them-save them, but Matt could only see it with the screaming in the background and pain sparking in his eyes. _God_ , Kashi was probably dead now, nobody lasted long in the arenas. Matt could barely breathe thinking about it; thinking about him ripped to shreds by some monster or strung apart on a druid’s table. It hurt too much, knowing he’d sacrificed himself for them.

Matt pivoted, his leg protesting. All the data the ship had to offer was being transferred to the resistance base nearest. The moment the transfer was finished the galra ship would be blown to dust, Matt off it or not. He was nothing more than a pawn anyways, a slightly insane one at that. He took the missions no one else would; he was a fast runner (one of the best on the Galaxy Garrison Track Team back when that was important.) It didn't matter how fast he ran anyways. No matter how fast he went he couldn't outstrip his grief. He thought of his mother’s eyes tired, but so very proud, a little sad too. He traced the lines of his sister’s face (one that was fading far too fast, he could barely remember her voice), the determined set of her eyes, her lips parted slightly with wonder-

“Who the fu-”

He jumped back, drawing his sword and swinging it deftly. It was an intimidation tactic he'd been taught by a blonde haired, self-titled princess. She was one of the last to carry the markings of her people, one of the last to carry any traits of her ancestors at that. She had pretty lips too but her eyes were far too cold and calculating. She was a warrior by nature but princess by tongue. It disappointed Matt how she let the two pieces of herself feud, she could easily be both, but she was adamant over choosing.

He focused back on the now open door, a slight figure standing out against the pulsing purple light of the walls, the faint blue lights on their suit flickering as they activated their blade. Matt knew those eyes behind the glass- but _she_ was back home at _school_ \- how could she be out here? Maybe he'd finally snapped- but the set of those eyes, he knew _that look_ \- seen it so many times in the face of his little sister. “Katie?”

Her eyes (some part of him was sure it was her) went wide under her helmet. “Take your mask off.” Her voice was shaking.

“Only if you take off yours.” The words were out of his mouth before he could process them. _75% Data Transfer Complete_ flickered across his field of view, Matt ignored it.

Katie stiffened, glared at him, and then pulled her helmet off with a pop. Matt lifted his mask, squinting at his sudden loss of sight clarity.

“Oh God.”

“He’s not here right now,” Matt murmured, squinting at the familiar blur that was his sister’s face. She slammed into him, knocking him off balance for a spot second.

“Matt,” she mumbled into his chest. A hiccuping son filled the room. He wrapped one arm around her, tilted the other (the one with the sword) away.

“You need to go.”

“What?” The slight edge of anger in her voice cut through him.

“This ship’s about to get blown to kingdom come we need to get the hell out,” Matt elaborated.

Katie straightened, “Come with me on my ship.”

 _Her ship?_ The ticking countdown coming from his mask nudged him to action. He repositioned his mask over his face. Katie put on her helmet, “Follow me.”

Matt did.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt finds somebody with pure dumb luck and incurable curiosity.

_It was supposed to be a straightforward information recon_ , Matt reminded himself for the third time in the hour. He massaged his temple through his hood, carefully following the foot soldiers below with his eyes. There were twice as many soldiers aboard the ship as there should have been, twice as many to avoid-or to fight.

Galra chatter streaked across his field of vision **High Priority Prisoner Being Transferred**. Matt supposed it was just what he needed, another reason to make this mission harder than it already was. He dropped from the vent, pain shooting up his leg, and darted after the receding backs of the guards. He had them in pieces with just a few swings. He continued down the hallway, swung a right, and entered the prison wing. The whirring of sentries on high alert was enough to tell him he was on the right track.

Rescuing a high priority prisoner of the galra empire _technically_ counted as gathering information right? It was no matter, he was naturally curious, it’d been what had got him to goddamn Kerberos and all the way out here after all. The idea of not knowing what-or who all the fuss was about (on a galra ship no less) was particularly painful. _Curse my naturally inquisitive mind, even if it has been what's kept me alive so far,_ Matt mused.

He took a corner hard, skidding to halt right in front of the sentries he had heard. They jolted to attention, drawing their weapons. Matt swung his blade into starting position. This would be fun. The first sentry shot at him, the other tried to aim a hit, he dodged both. With a quick swing of his sword the second sentry was in two pieces in the floor. The other sentry clipped him in the shoulder with his gun. Matt bit down a yelp and swung blindly. His sword, jammed in the gut of the guard sparked as the machine powered down.

Matt lifted the arm of one of the sentries to the authorization lock on the door. (Funny how few guards were present, what high priority prisoner required so little protection?) The lock hummed in response and the doors to cell clicked, and began to slide open. Matt squinted into the dark of the cell where a figure sat hunched over, their broad shoulders were only accented by the shoulders of their suit (that was pulsing faint _blue_?). He stepped inside the cell, only to notice the ugly wound on the figure’s side. It glowed _purple_.

“God,” Matt breathed.

The man coughed, rolled his shoulders slightly, and looked up at Matt, eyes bleary with pain. “Who are you?” he croaked.

“Takashi?” Matt was half kneeling in front of the man in an instant, mask off.

“Matt? What are you doing here-how?” Shiro’s eyes were wide with shock.

Matt blinked, “That doesn't- Kashi your side.”

Shiro gritted his teeth, “That’s not important right now.”

“Like hell it is.” Matt stood, and leaned over Shiro to cut his cuffs. “Can you walk?”

“Probably,” Shiro was already half standing, but Matt still ducked under his arm, helping support Shiro’s weight.

Matt led Shiro out of the prisoner wing, and down multiple different corridors ( _why_ galra ships were built like labyrinths, Matt couldn't answer). After an encounter with two galra sentries and a few gun shots coming a little too close for comfort, Matt managed to guide Shiro towards his ship. Halfway up the walkway Shiro slumped over with a moan.

Matt’s pulse skyrocketed, “ _Shiro_ -Kashi talk to me?”

A gunshot sparked on the ramp beside him. With a jump, Matt dropped Shiro onto the ramp. He managed to half dragging Shiro the rest of the way, swearing the entire time. Gunshots blazed around him, one nearly nicking Matt’s ear. He made short work of getting his ship up and out, once that pesky sentry was zapped with his ship’s gun.

Shiro half stumbled into control room, his face contorted in pain, “ _My_ _lion_ -I left black with-”

He groaned again, Matt could feel the heat coming off of him. Shiro dug his hand into the pilot’s seat, bracing himself as Matt made a tight turn.”Your _lion_? Takashi you're hurt that's the last thing you should be worrying about.” (Whatever _his lion_ was.)

“ _Keith has black_ ,” it was a whisper, barely audible. “ _I left him with black and red dammit_.”

What the hell did _Keith_ have to do with this? Matt gritted his teeth, “Kashi please, at _least_ sit down you're hurt.”

Shiro slumped into the co-pilot’s seat (technically optional, two pilots were not needed for his ship, Matt noted.) “We need to find Keith, I _left_ him Matt.”

“Takashi _you_ need medical attention,” Matt could practically feel Shiro open his mouth to protest, “I can feel your damn body heat from here you're burning up. _I'll_ go after your brother once we get you help.”

“You're sister's-”

“Katie?” Something in Matt made his heart race. If Keith were out in space somewhere what were the chances Katie was too?

But Shiro was unconscious, hands still gripping the arms of the seat. _Dammit_ , _it_ _really_ _is_ _bad_ _if_ _he_ _keeps_ _blacking_ _out_. A laser bolt narrowly missed the bough of his ship, making Matt swerve a hard left. The jolt knocked his already loose mask to the back of the ship. He was practically out of galra firing range at this point, his sight was no longer essential anyways.

_Shit_ , the realization hit him point blank, _so_ _much_ _for_ _getting_ _home_ , _I'll_ _be_ _demoted_ _for_ _the_ _failure_ _of_ _this_ _mission_. _Not_ _that_ _it_ _really_ _mattered_ , _now_ _his_ _entire_ _heart_ _was_ _in_ _making_ _sure_ _Shiro_ _survived_ _the_ _night_. _But_ _if_ _Katie_ -? Matt shook his head, and eased his craft into acceleration, stars streaming past, _all_ _were_ _thoughts_ _for_ _a_ _time_ _when_ _less_ _was_ _at_ _stake_.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do most of my writing at midnight lmao (here's to hoping this makes sense). ALSO, who's pumped for Season 2 January 20th 2017 (cries)! 
> 
> (The release of the season 2 trailer being released in HD pretty much killed the Matt is the masked figure theory rip, BUT without his glasses/contacts he'd have to have something to fucking see, hence to mask. And I support Keith being Shiro's adopted brother with my LIFE so that's in here too.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt finds somebody rather unexpectedly and suddenly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MINOR SPOILERS for VLD season two (taken from clips released at NYCC)!

Matt rubbed his thumb over the carvings on his bowl absent mindedly. The hum of galra transports and drills echoed around the tunnel, in his head. They pounded away at the stone surrounding them, generated the dust; dust that got everywhere, covered everything, coated his lungs, his eyes, his face. He glanced up at the figure pouring soup, (if you considered the thick liquid edible) into his bowl. The male’s large tufted ears twitched (they reminded Matt of a lynx) and black markings covering his face shifted slightly as he frowned. Matt knew they were for desert dwelling creatures, for keeping the sun and sand out of eyes, but from what he could see, the markings looked like smudged eyeliner, a reminder of what- _who he’d lost._

“How’s your leg?” His father radiated concern, he always did. Concern for him, for mom and Katie- _oh God Katie didn't I know what happened to them-never would. And mom- mom who had let him go on the goddamn Kerberos Mission in the first place._

Matt squinted at his father, willing his face into focus, “My leg’s fine dad.” It was a blatant lie. Even sitting down pain shot up his leg, but his father had enough to worry about, so did the rest of the people in the room ( _cave was technically a more accurate description_.)

The female sitting across from them growled to the male. Matt knew she was saying something in their language (a language comprised mostly of grunts and growls). Matt hadn't figured out how to translate any of their words, or their names for that matter. The male grunted twice, sinking into a crouch to eat.

Matt made eye contact with the female across the room (quite by accident.) The female gestured at her own leg then at Matt, her face questioning. Matt pointed at his leg and forced a smile. She still looked confused so he gave her a thumbs up ( _were thumbs up universal?_ ) The female nodded in satisfaction and turned her focus onto the bowl in her hands.

Matt sipped the concoction in his bowl slowly (it was mostly water but at least it was fairly edible). No one around the fire spoke (there wasn't often anything to say, no news came this far out, unless you felt like talking about the newly dead). The small fire crackled pleasantly. If Matt closed his eyes he could pretend that he was on a camping trip in the Rockies with Katie and Mom and Takashi (and Pluto, _God he missed that dog_ ).

His father coughed, the other two with them began a conversation, their grunts seemingly hushed. Matt rolled his shoulders (his muscles protested in pain, constant mining wasn't exactly doing them any favors). His father coughed again (damn dust). “Do you remember that one time the coffee machine was broken so we tried to make it with a Bunsen burner?”

Matt laughed, “Yeah, Dad,” It had been the same consistency of soup in his bowl, and it had tasted just as bad, “We set off the fire alarm and Mom almost killed us.”

Sam grinned at him, “It smelled so bad, Pluto wanted to go outside. Katie wouldn’t let us live it down for a month.”

Matt smiled, Katie was always one for playing small things up. “We broke the Bunsen burner making the coffee.”

Sam laughed at that, “We would have been better off waiting until we got to the Garrison to use the coffee maker in the staff room.”

“Yeah…” Matt let his voice trail off at that. Remembering always made his chest pain with something. _Guilt? Anger? Grief?_ Matt couldn't provide an answer

He leaned back a little, shifting his weight. At that, the familiar hum of the alien a cave over who communicated solely with telepathy filled his head. The buzz was like muted static as images of a white clad figure filled his head, familiar round brown eyes, a scattering of pale freckles and a mouth set with determination. The message the alien sent was clear, _you may want to come see this._

Matt turned to face his father, “Did you just get that too?”

His father stood up, “Do you think?”

Matt nodded and rose, his leg protested. He begged his knees not to buckle silently as he followed his father from the room.

He had so many questions, but the alien offered no answers (there was no hum in his head that drowned out everything else, as far as he knew the creature had nothing else to say). Their companions both rose and followed, whether they were shown what Matt and his father were, or followed out of pure curiosity of the two’s departure was unknown to Matt. The four hurried down the adjoining tunnel, footsteps mufflers by the drilling above.

“-I was stuck drifting around in a field of junk for days without power. Honestly, it's miracle that I managed to get this far with what little power my lion could muster up. It's a miracle a wasn't captured by some galra ship.” the person speaking sighed. “It seems like I haven't seen a living person in years.”

Matt knew that voice, he would recognize it anywhere. But it was _impossible_ -she-she couldn't be out here? But then who was? Matt’s mind was reeling, trying to rationalize something-anything from what he was hearing. His heart raced, _God_.

The figure turned their head, to look over their shoulder at them. “ _Matt? Dad!_ ”

Katie tossed her helmet to the side (how had she removed it so fast?) and flung herself at them. Matt threw his arms around his sister (he _knew_ it was her now). The three of them sank to their knees, still clinging to each other as if for dear life.

“ _Katie_ -Katie how?” Sam asked, his voice was shaking with emotion.

Katie practically laughed, tears rolled down her face, “It’s a long story-it doesn't matter- _I found_ you both.”

Matt ignored the tears on his own face. “Katie, _oh my God_.”

Katie sniffed, she was half crying, half laughing with joy. All of the other aliens in the cave watched the reunion, wonder and jealousy painted on their faces. Matt could have cared less, his heart was still thundering with seeing Katie again (there in his arms, real and in the flesh.)

It was his father who broke the silence that had settled between them (so much to say, yet no real ways to articulate it, at least not yet). “You have a ship out of here?”

He did a horrible job of hiding the fear in his voice (if Katie was stuck here, a _slave_ to the galra like _them_..)

“I have a ship Dad,” Katie’s voice was suddenly grim, “As long as my power recharges.”

“Is there anyway for you to check?”

Katie nodded at that, paused, and muttered, “If you even _think_ I'm leaving either of you here you're wrong.”

“I wouldn't miss getting to see you pilot for the world,” Matt grinned at her. Katie’s eyes lit up; it had always been a secret dream of hers to pilot (she had shared it only with him), but her diminutive stature and brain placed her in the back with whatever samples were being collected or at a computer, not the pilot’s seat.

Matt himself had toyed with the thought of piloting his third year, but sneaking into the simulator room with Kashi in the dead of night had put an end to that notion. _‘Since when did the simulator flip upside down?’ had been repeated multiple times. Kashi had laughed at him, and helped him exit the simulator (his legs felt like jello). They narrowly avoided Iverson on the way back to their dorms, and almost collapsed in laughing fits twice (‘I'm remembering your face when we took that nose dive’ ‘we'll stop you're gonna get us fucking caught’)._

It was the female from their room that spoke next, “You will need food if you are to leave.”

Katie stood up quickly, Matt and Sam following, “No you don't have to you've all done enough already-you don't-”

“I insist,” it was the male that spoke, “Daughter, go get what extra food we have.”

Katie wiped furiously at her face for a brief second, and grabbed her bag which she had left slumped against the floor. “There’s bottles and stuff in here if you can use them.”

The female’s head bobbed as she took the bag, “Thank you green one.”  
  
Katie breathed deeply, “ _We’re really doing this-I-I really found you both_.” She let out a half hysterical laugh before Sam pulled them into another hug.

Matt knew the words were reassurance to herself, that this wasn't just another dream but they rang truthfully. Katie had found them by a pure stroke of luck by the sounds of it. She probably wouldn't have ever found them if she hadn't been in the right place at the right time. _Searching for us must have been like trying to find a needle in a haystack, or better yet a needle in a twelve-acre field of corn_ , Matt mused.

The female returned with Katie’s bag, the sounds of her padded steps softly echoing through the cavern. She smiled (it really was more baring her teeth, but the sentiment was still there).

“Thank you,” emotion seeped through Katie’s voice, “Thank all of you! I swear on my word as a Paladin of Voltron that I will return and liberate this planet and free you all.”

Those few present clapped, they had had the hope of freedom beaten out of them years ago, but this girl, with her determined eyes and set shoulders had sparked something in them. Despite that, _Paladin of Voltron_ echoed through Matt’s mind. The title rattled something deep in his core ( _had he heard it somewhere before?_ ) and left him even more confused. _Leave it to his sister to leave him with even more questions in the span of a few minutes._

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I never realized how short the last chapter was sorry guys. I wrote and post mostly from my phone and didn't notice lol. I usually try to get every chapter at around 1K but that chapter was under. This one is not.)
> 
> I was hella emotional writing this TBH. Like #LetPidgeFindHerFamily2k16-17 @VLD writers it's time!!! Umm I'm posting this on a school night be grateful lmao. Ill try to update again soon but I make no promises.   
> Kudos, and more specifically comments are always really nice!!! <3 <3


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